U.K. supermarket chain Sainsbury's announced earlier this week it is testing a new app that enables users to create a virtual shopping list before a store visit and to pay for items without visiting a checkout line. 

The app directs users where to find their items in the store. Shoppers then scan the UPC on each item to track quantity and price within the app. Users pay for their groceries within the app before they leave the store.

"We know that customers’ weekly shop doesn’t start at our front door — they know what they like and they also like that search for a bargain," Jon Rudoe, digital and technology director at Sainsbury’s, said in a statement. "They still want to come into store — but with limited time, they want to be able to get their shop done quickly That’s why we’re putting digital firmly at the forefront of our agenda, and putting technology in the hands of our customers."

Sainsbury will test the new app with its employees first before making it available to Nectar cardholders at some point next year. Nectar is the supermarket chain's loyalty program.